I read this delightful tale years ago in an anthology of short stories, and was thrilled to see it available again in this lovely illustrated children's book. This is a story to delight animal lovers of all ages.

I should add here that there is really no "religious custom" forbidding Jews to have cats (I myself have six of them!) Appleblossom the cat tells Naphtali that her father belongs to the rabbi's son -- and if the rabbi's son has a cat, then it must be permitted! This is really a story about a father who personally doesn't care much for cats and is finding "religious" excuses to say "No cats." What Naphtali's father quotes are really folk superstitions about cats -- and Naphtali's mother seems to know that, because she wants a cat, too. Of course, the reader knows the story will have a happy ending -- with a little bit of help from Elijah the Prophet (who traditionally settles deadlocked disputes.)

The watercolor illustrations are filled with light and spirituality -- I especially love the one of Appleblossom looking down at Naphtali from the blossoming tree branches. The one minor "blooper" that some Jewish families might wonder about is that Naphtali, although clearly a religious Jew, is wearing shorts -- which was not the custom among Jews in Eastern Europe where he is supposed to be living. But the illustrator herself was born in England, and British schoolboys do traditionally wear short pants, so this can be probably explained as being based on what she saw in her own homeland. (Not a big issue, but some Jewish children may wonder about it.)

An excellent book -- I'd give it ten stars if I could. Order one now for next Passover.

This story provides a gentle fictional account of a child named Miriam forced to hide in the Dutch countryside during the Holocaust.

The book opens on May 10, 1940, when Holland was invaded by Germany, noting that for the next five years, Jewish citizens of Holland were sent to concentration camps where many died hideous deaths. But that is this story's only mention of what became of the vast majority of Europe's Jews during World War II.

The next page introduces Miriam and her parents, who explained to her that she must hide on a farm until the danger passed. Miriam packed one suitcase including her favorite books. In the countryside filled with tulips, daffodils and hyacinths, Miriam met the boy named Nello with whose family she would live for the next five years. Miriam's parents explained that she would be safe with them because they were not Jewish.

Once during her years with the family, Miriam was forced to hide in a cupboard, which had been pre-determined for those times when German soldiers might come. Outside the door, Nello's parents answered the harsh and mean soldiers in soft, gentle voices.

When the story ends, it's not clear whether Miriam would ever see her parents again. But that's the point of this tale, meant to introduce children to the Holocaust, without frightening them out of their wits.

The key idea here is that some Europeans were good and some Jewish children were safe. Alyssa A. Lappen

This story is told rather ambiguously... the facts of the girl going to the country to stay with a family, and where she hides when the soldiers come, is simply told. Why she has to go to the country and why she has to hide, are more complex issues. This story does not attempt to explain all the details and reasons why. Because of this, it is appropriate in the opening of dialogue about WWII and the Holocaust with children of all ages.

I could read this story to my 4 year old, or I could have my 9 year old read it. It's not the complete story - but not all children can fully understand or are ready for the complete story.

I felt that the information was handled with dignity, and it wasn't told in a maudlin manner at all. As a teacher and mother, I can recommend this book to any child who is ready to learn a little about this tragic time in our history, even the most sensitive students.

28- page picture book. A little Jewish girl is taken to thecountry and cared for by a gentile family. The father fashions ahiding place for her behind a lily-painted cupboard . She must hid here when the soldiers come to search for her. A fictional account of the brave Dutch people who risked their lives to save the Jews in Holland. A moving story with beautiful illustrations. Excellent for young children.

I'm ordering this book to use at a summer school for Baha'i children. Baha'is believe that we know the Hundreth Name which is also the Greatest Name of God and we often call ourselves the Community of the Greatest Name. To find this book in our local library was a gift. It is such a generous view of an Islamic family and shows much love between a father and son. It will be very popular story with my children.

My Mother read The Selchie's Seed to my sister and me when I was about 10 years old. The stark black and white drawings by Dianne Goode were fantastic; evocative and soft in their depiction of a rugged coastal landscape. The story is of a young girl's discovery of a white whale in the wave-tossed inlet along the shore of her tiny Irish fishing village. When the girl tells her parents about the whale her Father's reaction is angry, but her Mother seeems to have been expecting the whale's intrusion into their lives. Later, the girl overhears her parents' heated discusion about her and the whale. She learns of her Selchie blood and of the connection she has with the whale at the inlet. This is a story of the power of choosing one's path in life. The girl in The Selchie's Seed experiences her passage into womanhood through a calling to return to the family of the Selchie. In some senses this is a story of reclaiming one's self, and of freedom. The Irish myth of the Selchie (silky-skinned seal people) who swim to shore, shed their seal skins and walk in the skin of a human comes into play in this tale. But more contemporary issues of power over others, over one's self and one's choices are explored in Oppenheim's wonderful story. This is a book for girls and for boys (the relationship between the girl and her brother is strong and offers a healing male/female relationship in the face of her Father's helpless anger at the loss of his daughter) to learn from and enjoy. It's left a lasting impression on me, and will remain with me throughout the rest of my adult life.

This book is one of my favourites. I like the colourful illustrations and the captivating story.Makes a perfect goodnight book for the Kids.Cyn is a great illustrator and it surely captivates a Kids imagination.

While you may read this book to your children, remember to tell them not to believe in it. The book written by a Jew as a translation of a story imagined by a writer centuries ago, is NOT in accordance with the Islamic belief of Adam's and Hawa's expulsion from Paradise, and Iblis's disobediance and defiance of Allah's Will. To get the correct Islamic facts, read the Holy Qur'an; you can get a good English translation of the Qur'an from Amazon.com; I would suggest a copy by A. Yusuf Ali,who gives you a lot of insights to think about.

First, I'd like to say that I did not buy this book from Amazon.com. I read it in a public library first. But since I did read it (and I really was thinking about buying it from Amazon.com but decided against it upon realizing it was the same book I read in the library), I think it's appropriate for me to comment on it.

The writing was beautifully phrased, and I loved the pictures. They were beautifully drawn.

Unfortunately, what was in the book had no correlation with what the story of Iblis (Satan) is in the Quran. I mean no disrespect to the author--I understand that she tried her best by translating the work of an "Islamic authority." But as every Muslim woman knows (and some Muslim men), you can't trust anything written by a man before 1970 AD, especially if it's written about Islam. By repeating what ancient men had to say, we repeat their biases and misconceptions. It is really only the Quran and the practices of the prophets that are timeless. For example, one of the most beautiful aspects of Islam is that God does not say in the Quran that Eve was tempted. It specifically says in the Quran that they were -both- tempted and they -both- ate the fruit. And the fact that childbirth is a punishment is just ludicrous! It is one of the blessings of Allah, as every mother knows! Moreover, the basis of Islam and its biggest difference from Christianity is that no one can be punished or rewarded or forgiven for the actions of another person. This makes sense. Women can't be punished for what Eve did. Humans can't be punished for what Adam and Eve did. And Christians can not be forgiven for what Jesus did. We are all individually accountable.

So I would strongly recommend that Muslim parents do not read this book to their children, because it instills in them in an early age concepts which will influence them in a harmful way (i.e. lack of accountability, inferiority of women, hatred for childbirth, disrespect to peacocks, etc.) Yes, stories do influence children in subtle but everlasting ways (i.e. the Cinderella complex, a cultural phenomenon caused by the story of Cinderella that some psychologists believe in).

I gave it 2 stars and not 1 because it was a good effort, and I did appreciate the illustration. And no one should ever blame the author for being Jewish. Her book may subtly harm the Muslim community by reinstituting the biases that Islam tries to take us away from, but I'm sure it wasn't malicious. She really could not have known that most Muslims choose to not blindly accept their predecessors but have a respect for the truth and hope to have a direct connection with the truth as much as possible. It was a good effort, and it is really the Muslims' fault that we haven't begun to write children's books about the stories of the Quran that are very much helpful in raising children.

---Peace

Although this may be a charming story for children, this is NOT the Islamic version of the story of the expulsion from Paradise. Please pay close attention; this is a fictional story written by a Muslim in the 9th century and NOT the authentic story that Muslims believe to be true as related in the Quran (Koran). Confusing this children's story with the true version would lead one to think Islam is a fantastical and implausable religion with elaborate, fairy tale stories. If you would like the true story as known by Muslims worldwide, I suggest you read the Holy Book of Islam, the Quran. In fact, Amazon sells several versions of its translation!